Railway-crossing gate.



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B.A.KARR. RAILWAY CROSSING GATE.,

APPLIOATION FILED APR. '1, 1902. No MODEL.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENTED APR. 28, 191133.

B. A. KARR. RAILWAY CROSSING GATE.

APPLIUATION PILBD APR. 7, 1902.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

NO MODEL.

/NVE/VTUR Muff/,QA BY Lj/m/I/d Starts BURTON A. KARR, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOlVA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOTl-IE ELECTRIC GATE AND SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEBRASKA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofiLettersy Patent No. 726,308, dated April 28, 1903. Application fired April 7', 1902. ,l secano. 101.861. (Np mot/1p1.)

`use the same.

My invention relates to railway-crossing gates and signals wherein the approach of a train to a crossing is made to sound an alarm and close a gate at the said crossing.

It is the object of my invention to provide a crossing gate and signal of the above type' which shall be entirely automatic in actiont'. e., in which the approach of a train to the crossing will close a gate, ring an alarm-bell, time the closed period ofthe gate, and cause the gate to open again immediately after the train has passed the crossing.

The invention lies in the various mechanical and electrical constructions for accom-` plishing the above Vobjects and in certain other new and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, as willbe more fully described hereinafter'.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view of my improved mechanism foroperating crossing-gates, the section be-V ing taken on the plane ofthe lines z a of Figs. 2 and 3. In this ligure is also indicated the relative position of the varioustrack inst-ruments and the electrical connections of the entire system. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the gate mechanism, taken on the plane ofV line c: a; of Fig. 1. the plane of the line y y of Fig. 1. a partial sectional elevation lon line w w of Fig. 3, showing the positions of some of the parts when the gates are closed. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the insulated Fig. 3 is a similar view on sleeve used in connection with one of the circuit-closing devices, and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views showing the action of the electrical circuitvclosing devices.

On each side` of the crossing at which the gates are placed are suitable circuit-closing Fig. 11 1S- said track instruments going toward the cross- 1 ing, but to remain unoperated when a train passes over the same going away from the crossing. At the crossing is placed a third track instrument, which is arranged to make a contact between the wires 4A and A16 leading thereto when a train passes over said instrument going in either direction.

The various mechanisms for timing and operating the gates are supported on a framework l and may be inclosed or housed in any suitable manner. An insulating-block 4 is secured to the frame 1 at the position indicated iu Figs. 1 and 2. Secured to the block are a pair of electromagnetic coils 2, in front ot' which is hung an armature 3, having a latched end thereon normally supporting an arm 10, which is pivoted on the block It, as shown in Figs. l and 7.` The making of an electrical contact between the wires 5 and 6 at either of the track instruments 7 7 closes a circuit through said Wires,`the battery S, wire 9, and coils 2. The armature 3, being attracted by the lsaid coils 2, releases vthe arm 10 and allows the upwardly-extending end 11 thereon to drop onto the shaft 27. The lt'orming ot' electrical contact between the shaft 27 and. arm 11 closes a circuit, as follows: from the shaft 27 to the frame 1, wire 22, battery 2l, wire 20, contact-screw 19, spring-contact 1S, armature 15, frame 14, coils 13, wire 12, and arms 10 and 11. The passage of the current from the battery 2l through the coils 13 magnetizes the cores thereof and attracts the armature 15 toward the said coils. The movement of the armature breaks the circuit between the spring 18 and screw 19, and the attraction ceasing on the breaking of the circuit the armatu reis pulled upward by the spring 16 and the circuit is again made, so that the armature will vibrate rapidly from one position to the other, the action being the same as in an ordinary buzzer or electric bell. Hinged on the end of the armature 15 and insulated therefrom by the insulation 23 is a curved hooked arm or pawl 25, which is held against the periphery of the ratchet 26 by a spring 24, as shown. A second pawl 33, pivoted on the frame 1, as shown, engages with the ratchet and prevents rotation of the same except in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawings.

It will readily be seen that as the armature 15 vibrates, the pawl 25, engaging with the ratchet, will move the same forward one tooth for each downward movement of the armature 15, and thus the vibration of said armature will slowly revolve the ratchet in the direction indicated. The said ratchet 26 is se cured to the shaft 27, which also has thereon a pinion 28, engaging with a gear 29, rotatably secured to the shaft 30, so that as the ratchet is revolved the said gear will revolve more slowly than the ratchet. On one face of the gear 29 is a pin 31, which as the said gear is rotated engages for a time with the arm 83, pivoted on the insulating-block 86,

and raises the same into contact with a second arm 84, which is4 also pivoted on said block. From the arm 84 a wire 88 extends to an electric bell or gong 89, which is also connected with'a battery 90 andy Wire 87, extending to thearin 83. Thus when electrical convtact is made between the arms 83 and 84 a the ringing ofthe same.

circuit is closed through the bell 89, causing Now as the gear 29 continuesto rotate the pin 31 will move around and finally comeup under the end of the arm 11' aud raise the saine, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. As the arm 11 islifted out of contact with the shaft 27 the circuit through the vibrator 14 will not be broken, as the current will continue to pass from the arm 1l to the piu 31, gear 29, shal't 30, and frame 1 instead of passing directly from the arm 11 through the shaft 27 tothe frame. Now as the army 11l is raised the latched end of the armature 3 again engages withv the armk 10, and when the pin 31 finally passes from under the arin 11 the same will be supported by the latched armature, the circuitthrough the vibrator be broken, and the action cease until the arm 10 is again released by the closing of the circuit through the wires 5 and 6.

The mechanism so far as now described constitutes the controlling and timing portion of my mechanism.

It will be noted that the first result of the passage of a'traiu over one of the track instru ments 7 7v will be to. move the latched armature 3, close the vibrator-circuit, set in motion the ratchet 26, pinion 28, and gear 29, carrying therewith the pin 31 and raising the arm 83, thereby closing the gong or alarm circuit. An insulated pin 32 is also placed ou the gear 29, and as the gear rotates the said pin engages with a spring 34`on the insulating-block 36 and presses the same into contact with a point 35 on the same insulating block. A wire 37 is connected to the spring 34 and extends to a' battery 47. Thence a Wire 48 extends to the electromagnetic'coils 53, from which another wire 38 extends to the point 35, so that when contact is made between the spring 34 and point 35 a circuit is completed through the said wires, battery, and coils. The coils 53 are secured to an in-V sulating-block 49, which is supported by the frame l, as indicated in 1Eig. 3. Secured to the said block 49 and hanging in front of the coils 53 is an armature 52, having a latched end thereon similar to the armature 3. The latched end of the armature supports an arm 50, pivoted on the block 49 and corresponding in design to the arm lO on the block 4.

When a circuit is closed, as before described, through the coils 53, the armature 52 is attracted thereby and the arm 50 released, allowing the upwardly extending end 51 thereon to drop. onto the sleeve 6l on the shaft 64. 'vlhissleeve 61 is insulated from the said shaft by insulating material 93, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 6. The in sulating-block 6() on the frame 1 carries a brush 59, which bears on t-he sleeve' 61 and forms an electrical contact therewith. From the said brush a wire 58 extends to a battery 57, and from said battery a Wire 56,l connects the same ywith a motor 55,. A second wire 54 extends from the motor to the arm 50, so that when the extending end thereof,51,drops onto the sleeve 61 a circuit is closed through the said battery and motor, thereby causing the actuation of the latter. The shaft of the motor is connected by a train' of gearing, comprising the pinions 65 and 68 and the gearsA 66 and 69, to shafts 6,7 and 64, respectively. Now as the shaft 64 is revolved by the motor acting through the above gearingtrain the sleeve 61 is revolved therewith, as also the pins 63 on arms4 62 carried thereby. After said shaft 64 has` revolved ay little Way 'one of the pins 63 will engage with the arm IOO 5l and lift the same until the arm 50 is engaged by the latched armature 52,' as indicated in Fig. 6. When the said shaft has passed through the half of one revolution, the arm 51 drops od the pin, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, and the arm now being supported in its originalposition by the latched armature 53 the circuit through the motor is broken and the rotatiouof lsaid shafts and gears ceases.

A portion' of the shaft `64 is formed into a crank 96, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, and a connecting-rod 70 extends from said crank to a crank 7l on the gate-shaft 75. The shaft 75 carries a counterweighted gate 94 of the usual form adapted toA be normally held in a Vertical position, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Now as theshaft 64 and crank 96 are rotated the said crank 71 is pushed over, as indicated in Fig. 4, and the gate 94 turned down to a horizontal position, as indicated in the saine figure. For use in cities Where there is'a sidewalk-crossing I provide "a smaller gate 95, which is secured to a shaft 74, as shown. A bent connecting-bar 72 is extended froxnthe crank `7l to a crank 73 on Ainto contact with the point 43.

shaft 74, so that both gates will be opened and closed together. Also secured to the shaft is an arm or crank 76, having an insulating-block 78 secured thereto. As the shaft 75 is turned to bring the gates to a horizontal position the said insulating-block 78 is pressed onto the spring 42, bringing the same spring and point are supported and insulated from each other by the block 77, which is attached to the frame l, as indicated in Fig. 3. Connected to 76, as indicated in Fig. 1, is an arm 79, extending upward and resting against an insulating-block 82, which is supported in proper position by the frame l. Attached to the block 82 and lying in the path of travel of the pin 32 on gear 29 is a spring 8l,which is bent outward and has a free end, as shown,l

so that the same does not touch the pin 8O on the arm 79. said arm 79 is pulled down until the pin 801s just beneath the free end of the spring 8l, so that if the said spring be pushed down by the pin 32 an electrical contact will be formed be` tween the said spring and pin 80.

When the gates are closed and the arms 76 and 79 in the positions described, there are two paths or means by which an electrical circuit may be closed through the magnetcoils 53, thus closing the motor-circuit and opening the gates. The irst means by which the circuit may be closed through the said coils 53 is by the'pin 32 coming in contacty 45, as follows: from wire 44 to 46, to battery 47, wire .48, coils 53, wire 38, wire 4l, spring 42, point 43, and wire 44. If the magnets 53 be engaged and the motor-circuit be closed by either of these means, the shaft 64 Will be moved through the half of one revolution,

thereby raising the gates and throwing both ofl the described circuit-closing means out of operation-41. e. the pin 80 ispushed up under the bent portion of the spring 8l, so that contact will not be made between the same whensaid spring 8l is pushed down by the pin 32 and the spring 42 is released from, the point 43, thus making it impossible to again operate the drop-coils 53, close the gates or motorcircuit, except by the pin 32 again pressing the spring 34 into contact with the point 35.

The functions of the pins 3l and 32 are prevented from conflicting by making the pin 32 shorter than the pin 3l, so that said pin 32 will not engage with the arms l1 and 83, and by placing the pin 3l nearer the center of the gear 29 than the pin 32, so that Asaid pin 3l will not engage with the springs 34 and 8l.

The said When the gates are closed, the

Briefly, the operation ot the entire mechanism is as follows: A train passing over one of the track instruments 7 7 closes the circuit through the coils 2, which operate in turn to close the vibrator-circuit, as described. The pin 3l raises the arm 83 and closes the alarmbell circuit, which circuit is maintained, approXimately, until the gates are closed. The pin 32 closes the circuit through the coils 53, these in turn operating to close the circuit through the motor. The motor rotates the shaft 64 through half of one revolution, 'thereby closing the gates and opening again the said motor-circuit by the action of one of the pins 63 on the drop-arm 50. The train on reaching the crossing and passing over the track instrument 45 again closes the local starting-circuit through the coils 53, thereby starting the motor and opening the gates. If, however, the train stops or backs up after passing over one of the track instruments 7 7 and does not pass over the track instrument 45, the timing mechanism brings the pin 32 against the spring 8l and closes the circuit through the coils 53, these operating to close the motor-circuit and open the gates, .as described.

It will be particularly noted that when the gates are open a circuit can be closed through the coils 53 only by closing said circuit between the spring 34 and ,point 35, inasmuch as both the other described means for closing said circuit are rendered inoperative when the gates are open.

It is obvious that by the provision thus made the mechanism is entirely automatic, the gates being closed by the passage of a train or car toward the crossing, but not depending entirely on said train or car to again open said gates, although if the train does go as far as the crossing the gates will not remain closed after said train has passed the crossing.

It is very apparent that considerable variation can be madein the mechanical details of i the mechanism without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to confine myself to any of the details of construction shown.

Now, having described myinventiomwhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. A railway-crossing-gate mechanism comprising track-circuits, a vibrator-circuit, motor-controlling circuits, means operated by the vibrator-circuit to close the motor-controlling circuits, a motor and motor-circuit, all said instrumentalities acting and coperating substantially as set forth.

2. A railway-crossing gate mechanism comprising track instruments in circuit with starting-magnets, a vibrator-circuit, a motorcontrolling circuit, means operated by the vibrator-circuit to close said motor-controlling circuit, a motor and motor-circuit, and a second motor-controlling circuit adapted to be closed by track instruments, substantially as described.

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3. A railway-crossing-gate mechanism comprising starting-magnets in circuit with track instruments, a vibrator-circuit adapted to be closed by said magnets, means operated by said Vibrator-circuit for closing a motor-controlling circuit, means operated by said motor-controlling circuit for closing a motorcircuit whereby the gates are closed, and means controlled by said vibrator-circuit for opening the gates after the same have been closed for a suitable time.

4. In a railway-crossing-gate mechanism a track-circuit, a vibrator-circuit, a motor-controlling circuit, means operated by the Vibrator-circuit to close the motor-controlling circuit, a motor-circuit adapted to be closed by said motor controlling circuit, means for breaking said motor-circuit when the gates fhave been closed by the operation of the same, and means for again closing the said motor-circuit to open the gates after the same have been closed for a predetermined time.

5. In a railway-crossing-gate mechanism, a circuit adapted to be closed by track instruments, means whereby the closing of said circuit operates to close a vibratorcircuit, means controlled by said Vibrator-circuit for closing crossing-gates and other means also controlled by said vibrator-circuit for opening said gates after the same have been closed for a suitable time.

6. In arailway-crossing-gate mechanism, a circuit adapted to be closed by track instruments, magnets in said circuit, an armature moved by said magnets for closing a Vibratorcircuit, electrical means controlled by said vibrator-circuit for completing a motor-circuit thereby closing the crossing-gates, means for breaking said motor circuit when the gates have been closed, other electrical means controlled by said vibrator-circuit for opening the gates, and electrical means connected in parallel with said latter means whereby the motor circuit may be closed and the gates opened by contact track instruments, substantially as described.

7. A railway-crossing-gate mechanism comprising magnets in circuit with track instruments, an armature moved by said magnets, a timing mechanism, means controlled by said armature for closing a circuit through said timing mechanism and means adapted to be set in operation by said timing mechanism for closing gates and for opening the same after the lapse of a predetermined time, substantially as set forth.

8. In a railway-crossing-gate mechanism, magnets in circuit with track instruments, an armature adapted to be moved by said magnets, means controlled by said armature for closing a circuit through a vibrator, means adapted to be set in operation by said vibrator for opening and closing gates and means for breaking the circuit through the said vibrator after the same has been actuated for a suitable time.

9. A railway-crossing-gate mechanism comprising magnets in circuit with track instruments, a latchedv armature adapted to be moved by said magnets, an arm supported by said latched armature, a timing mechanism, an electrical circuit through said timing mechanism and said arm, means wherebysaid circuit through the timing mechanism and yarm is closed when said arm is released by said latched armature, and means operated by the said timing mechanism for raising said arm and breaking the circuit through the same, substantially as described.

10. In a railway-crossing-gate mechanism, a motor, a circuit connecting said motor with a suitable generator, gearing and shafting in operative connection with said motor, a crank formed on one of said shafts, means whereby the rotation of said crank -shaft will alternately close and open the crossinggates, a sleeve on said crank-shaft, an arm adapted to be dropped into contact with said sleeve, connections from said arm and sleeve to said motor and generator whereby said motor-circuit will be closed when said arm is dropped into contact with said sleeve, and means carried by said crank-shaft for raising said arm and breaking said motor-circuit,substantially as described.

11. In a railway-crossing-gate mechanism, a motor, a circuit connecting said motor with a suitable generator, a crank-shaft in operative connection with said motor,means whereby the rotation of said crank-shaft will alter-' nately close and open the crossinggates, a sleeve on said crank-shaft, an arm adapted to drop into contact with said sleeve, a latch for supporting said arm, an armature carrying said latch, magnets for moving said armature to release and drop said arm, connections from said arm and sleeve to said motor and generator whereby said motorcircuit will be closed when said arm is dropped into contact with said sleeve, and means carried by said crank-shaft for raising said arm and breaking said motor-circuit at the end of each of the periods of rotation of said crank-shaft for closing and opening said crossing-gates, substantially as described.

l2. In a mechanism for operating railwaycrossing gates, a motor, a circuit connecting said motor with a suitable generator, an arm in said motor-circuitfor closing and opening said circuit, a latch for supporting said arm, magnets for releasing said arm from said latch, a plurality of parallel circuits through said magnets, means for closing said parallel circuits, and means whereby some of said parallel circuits are thrown out of operative connection when the crossing-gates are open, substantially as set forth.

13. In a mechanism for operating railwaycrossing gates, a motor, a motor-circuit, magnets controlling means for closing said motor-circuit, means operated by said motor for closing and opening crossing-gates and for breaking said motor-circuit at the end of IOO IOS

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each period of rotation of the motor-shaft for the opening or closure of the gates, a circuit through said magnets, timing mechanism for closing said circuit, other circuits in operative connection with said magnets onlyWhen the crossing-gates are closed, and means whereby one of the latter circuits may be closed by said timing mechanism and the other by track instruments, substantially as set forth.

14. In a mechanism for operating railwaycrossing gates, an armature, means carried bysaid armature for supporting an arm, magnets in circuit With track instruments for moving said armature to release said arm, a Vibrator-circuit through said arm, means operated by said Vibrator-circuit for rotating a gear, a pin carried by said gear and adapted to close an alarm-circuit and to raise said arm for breaking said vibrator-circuit, a second pin carried by said gear and motor-controlling circuits adapted to be closed by said pin as and for the purpose herein set forth.

1.5. In a mechanism for operating railwaycrossing gates, magnets in circuit with track instruments, an armature moved by saidmagnets, a latch carried by said armature, an arm supported by said latch and adapted to be dropped by the action of said magnets, a circuit through said arm adapted to be closed by the dropping of the same, magnets in said circuit, an armature adapted to 'be Vibrated by said magnets, a pawl carried by said armature, a ratchet engaged by said pawl and adapted to be moved bythe Vibration of said armature, a gear rotated by said ratchet, a pin on said gear for closing an alarm-circuit and for raising said arm to break the circuit through the same, and a second pin on said gear adapted to set in operation means for closing and opening crossing-gates, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

BURTON A. KARR. Witnesses:

JNO. C. SMALL, D. O. BARNELL. 

